OS 8.6 to OS 10.3

Ok. I'm a bit new to the home networking thing, and I'm trying to get old files off my iMac (the original aug '98 release) and onto my iBook G4. My iBook connects to the internet wirelessly through a netgear router; the iMac is connected directly to the router with an ethernet cable.

as best as I can tell, I've followed all guidelines I could find. appletalk/file sharing is turned on for both computers; on the iMac I've created the new user "iBook"; I have the IP/afp addresses of each computer. under the chooser on the iMac, it seems to recognize my iBook's name.

on the iBook, when I select "connect to server...", I type in the IP address of the iMac, "afp://xxx.xxx.x.x/" (minus the quotation marks, of course), but then it says that it can't connect or can't find the server. I realize I may have left some information out (I'm sitting at work and have neither computer in front of me, so I can't see their settings), but I sure would appreciate some help.

I would think it would be much easier than that, considering you are transferring between basically the same OS. When I transfer files from my PC to my iBook, I just get on the iBook, go to the finder, click Network, and my PC is right there. I didn't even configure anything, it just automatically found it.

I would think it would be much easier than that, considering you are transferring between basically the same OS.

Not entirely true. Yes, they are both Macs, but the OS's are vastly different.
For your iBook, open System Preferences, click Sharing, and make sure to turn on Personal File Sharing. Also, you might want to make sure that AppleTalk is turned on both computers.

mac: a waterproof raincoat made of rubberized fabric
MAC: a data communication protocol sub-layer, also known as the Media Access Control
Mac: a brand name which covers several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc.

Not entirely true. Yes, they are both Macs, but the OS's are vastly different.
For your iBook, open System Preferences, click Sharing, and make sure to turn on Personal File Sharing. Also, you might want to make sure that AppleTalk is turned on both computers.

From the first link, "Some AFP services that do not have a TCP/IP option include Personal File Sharing in Mac OS 8.6 and earlier, and the AppleShare server suite."

Could this be my problem? That 8.6 does not have a TCP/IP option? I wouldn't think that would matter, because I should still be able to type in the "connect to server..." "afp://xxx.xxx.x.x/" and still connect to it....but I don't know.

I'll have to investigate the second link more when i get home. Although I immediately have internet access when the iMac is plugged into the router, I assume I would have regular network acess, right?

I've seen the third link before, and have followed it the other night best I could. Unfortunately, the OS9 examples don't translate to the OS 8.6